ESML 25

Chapter 25

“In that case…”

Emilia hesitated for a moment, just as she was about to continue.

A maid entered the library.

“Assistant Herald, the butler is looking for you.”

“Yes, yes, I’m coming.”

The light instantly vanished from Herald’s eyes.

Gathering up his documents with sluggish movements, he rose from his seat.

“Oh, right. Weren’t you about to ask me something?”

“N-No.”

Meeting his questioning gaze, Emilia quickly shook her head.

“It wasn’t anything important.”

“Is that so? I was hoping it would be something important enough to keep me from having to see the butler.”

He muttered with genuine regret.

“Anyway, Miss Emilia. Thank you very much for helping me today.”

With heavy footsteps, Herald trudged toward the library door—

“Ah, that’s right!”

He suddenly spun around.

“Goodness, I’m so out of it. I almost forgot something important!”

“…Yes?”

Emilia blinked in confusion.

A little later—

After coming downstairs, Emilia spotted Kaiden preparing to leave.

He was absentmindedly adjusting his cufflinks, straightening his clothes as though something about them felt uncomfortable.

Sensing her presence, he lifted his gaze.

Taking his hand away from his sleeve, he asked,

“Are you heading out?”

“Yes.”

Emilia finished descending the stairs.

“I need to buy a few things.”

“A few things? Couldn’t you just ask the servants?”

Kaiden asked, sounding puzzled.

“I also have a letter to mail, so I thought I’d do both while I’m out.”

She had been so busy ever since arriving in the capital that she hadn’t even managed to send Mrs. Anderson a letter.

She wanted to write now, to let her know she had found respectable work and was living in a wonderful estate, so there was no need to worry.

“And I want to buy Ivan some snacks too.”

Emilia added the last part with a hint of excitement.

The “important thing” Herald had almost forgotten…

Was her half-month’s salary.

For Emilia, it truly had been something important.

“Laura even recommended a dessert shop to me.”

“Is that so?”

A faint chuckle escaped Kaiden.

She looked almost like a child who had just received pocket money for the first time and couldn’t wait to buy treats for her friends.

Walking until he was beside her, he naturally matched her pace.

“Ever since you arrived, Ivan seems to get along much better with the servants.”

Emilia’s eyes widened slightly before she smiled.

“I’m glad.”

He was right.

Lately, Ivan had started talking comfortably with the people around him.

Knowing her efforts were paying off filled her with quiet satisfaction.

“How is Ivan’s Imperial coming along?”

“He learns incredibly fast. I think he’s naturally very intelligent.”

Speaking to Ivan’s guardian after such a long time, Emilia happily reported on his progress.

“I think he’d pick up any subject quickly.”

She spared no praise for the boy’s sharp mind.

By the time they finished talking…

They had already stepped outside the mansion.

Emilia noticed the duke’s carriage waiting nearby and stopped walking.

“Well then, I’ll be—”

But Kaiden continued all the way to the carriage.

Opening the door, he gestured toward the interior.

“Aren’t you getting in?”

“…What?”

Caught completely off guard, Emilia could only blink.

Hmm…

She had climbed into the carriage almost without thinking…

But now Emilia found herself quietly regretting it.

I should’ve brought a book to read.

Kaiden, seated across from her, was calmly flipping through a stack of documents.

She, on the other hand…

Had absolutely nothing.

Sitting there empty-handed while he worked felt unbearably awkward.

Public carriages were always noisy.

They rattled constantly, and passengers were forever getting on and off.

There had never been much point in bringing something to read.

But Kaiden’s carriage barely shook at all.

The interior was almost perfectly silent.

Perhaps because of that…

The man sitting across from her somehow felt even more noticeable.

Truthfully…

Even sitting face-to-face with him like this still felt unfamiliar.

Until now, she had been the only one who knew anything about him.

But now…

They were naturally sharing pieces of their everyday lives.

Just like they had been earlier.

For a brief moment, she remembered Kaiden looking down at her with that quiet smile.

Somehow flustered, Emilia instinctively straightened her back.

As she adjusted her posture, the tip of her shoe scraped lightly against the floor.

“Ah.”

Kaiden looked up.

Their eyes met.

“I’m sorry. Did I disturb you?”

“It’s fine.”

“I wasn’t concentrating anyway.”

He answered casually.

“Really?”

Apparently he truly had lost his focus.

He set his papers aside, as though ready to continue talking with her.

That’s a relief.

If he kept the conversation going…

She wouldn’t have to be so conscious of the awkward silence.

“By the way… where are you headed, Your Grace?”

But instead of answering…

Kaiden simply looked at her.

Emilia shifted her eyes awkwardly.

“Ah… was that something I shouldn’t have asked?”

“No.”

“I was only thinking…”

“I don’t believe anyone has ever asked me that before.”

Emilia stared at him in surprise.

“No way.”

“You’re joking, aren’t you?”

It was such an ordinary question.

Surely the butler or Herald had asked him something similar just this week.

As if reading her thoughts, Kaiden replied,

“I meant from you.”

Emilia blinked blankly.

Had I really never asked…?

Now that she thought about it…

Although it was an ordinary question, she had never actually asked Kaiden where he was going.

Well… of course not.

She was merely his son’s tutor.

Questioning her employer about his destination would have been rather strange.

Besides…

Even with people other than Kaiden…

She rarely asked where they were going.

Whenever Cedric or Mrs. Romance headed out and she asked—

“Why are you prying? I’m just going out to clear my head.”

“You just worry about making dinner.”

Those dismissive answers had gradually taught her to stop asking altogether.

After lowering her gaze for a moment, Emilia quickly shook off the memory.

Then she looked back at Kaiden with a playful smile.

“Hm… then should I make sure to ask you every time we meet?”

“Yes.”

“…Huh?”

The immediate answer left Emilia speechless.

“I said you should.”

There wasn’t the slightest hint of a joke on his face.

Instead…

He simply gazed quietly into her eyes.

“I-I will, then.”

Without realizing it, Emilia nodded.

Well… it’s not exactly difficult.

Tilting her head, she studied the man sitting across from her.

For some reason…

That odd little promise seemed to have pleased him.